To thwart tomorrow

Inside the Mine

7

FEB/10

After defeating the guard towers, the adventurers searched the buildings of the mine camp to make sure no other enemies were left. They found some treasure in an administration building and then entered the dark entrance to the mine.

At the end of a dark tunnel, the party found some guards playing dice. The guards commanded a force of zombies. Talon attempted to confront the guards, but the bard Thedo opened fire on them in a surprise attack. Combat ensued and the small guard force quickly fell.

The guards had been protecting the top of an elevator into the mine. Horses were used to provide motive power for the elevator. After unsuccessful efforts to puzzle out the mechanism, the party decided to simply hook up the horses and try. Alec showed sympathy for the plight of the horses, but gently led them into harness anyway.

After trial and error, the party discovered how to lower the elevator. Alec and Talon descended into the mine to see if there was a lever or mechanism at the bottom to allow the elevator to rise again. They found none. After being brought back up, Alec figured out that if they untied the rope from the winch to which the horses were harnessed, they could drop the rope onto the elevator platform and haul themselves up and down. The plan was followed and the party found themselves on the lowest level of the mine, a dimly-lit tunnel leading into the depths of the mine.

Following the tunnel, the party heard the cries of people begging for mercy and the harsh tones of their captors. The party rushed forward into a large room in which slaves were about to be sacrificed by priests. Guards rushed to confront the party, fighting to keep the party trapped in the tunnel while the sacrifices continued.

After furious fighting in which the cleric Armun and the bard Thedo called upon the gods to keep the fighters from grievous injury, the party was able to penetrate the line of guards and take the battle to the priests. The combat was quickly over after that.

The slaves, captured villagers, had been freed. It was time for the party to learn more of where the original owners of the mine might be and who was behind these schemes.